Second BUILD grant rejection leaves Big Sky’s most congested intersection without federal funds for redesign
By Anne O’Neill EDITORIAL INTERN
Big Sky’s push to fix its most congested intersection hit another major setback this week.
The federal government rejected a $25 million request from Montana Department of Transportation and Resort Tax for the U.S. Highway 191/Montana Highway 64 intersection project on July 7, marking the second straight year it has denied the request. Each year, the U.S. Department of Transportation awards BUILD–Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development–grants to projects across the country. In a Big Sky Resort Area District meeting on July 8, board chair Kevin Germain called the rejection “a real gut punch.”
“It just puts a much finer point on the effort,” Germain said. “The resources we have to solve our own infrastructure needs are fairly limited.”
In other words, Big Sky’s rapid growth is outpacing its infrastructure funding. Without federal help, the district must rely on resort tax revenue and other limited local sources to tackle the problem while they wait for the next grant application cycle.
Montana 64’s status as an “auxiliary route” bars the project from most state dollars, but its intersection with U.S. 191 qualifies it for federal funding, which is why BSRAD and the Montana Department of Transportation have now pursued the $25 million BUILD grant two years in a row. MDT submitted this year’s application on Feb. 24.
Board director John Zirkle pointed to how much work has gone into the effort, and said the district is now looking at other funding sources.
“That BUILD grant—that’s a $25 million federal grant—has been years and years of coordinated effort from BSRAD and MDT,” Zirkle said. “The timing of the rejection of the BUILD grant is a big deal and it’s motivating me and I think it’s motivating our committee further to make sure things don’t keep getting kicked down the road for Big Sky.”.
Despite the setback, the project isn’t at a standstill. MDT has set aside money for the design phase, and engineering firm HDR will keep moving the project toward a final design. A 2026 intersection control evaluation has already recommended a multilane roundabout as the preferred option. The district’s financial stake in the site is also secure. BSRAD closed on the 4.5-acre parcel the redesign requires back in 2024 for $10.45 million.
MT 64 construction update
MDT’s Gallatin Canyon Pavement Preservation and Safety Improvements project remains active near Gallatin Gateway and between Storm Castle Road and the Lava Lake trailhead through this summer. Construction on MT 64 has been postponed until Monday, July 23. Current conditions: 511mt.net.
